


Facade

by Yayeet32



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Dipper Pines and Ford Pines Bonding, Dipper Pines and Grunkle Stan Bonding, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Insecure Dipper Pines, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:08:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27390220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yayeet32/pseuds/Yayeet32
Summary: Dipper was used to putting on a "tough-guy" facade in front of his grunkles. Maybe today, he should've just told the truth.
Relationships: Dipper Pines & Ford Pines, Dipper Pines & Stan Pines, Ford Pines & Stan Pines
Kudos: 83





	Facade

**Author's Note:**

> Dipper sickfic! Yay! Idk where Mabel is in this tbh- let's just say she slept through the whole thing! It's mostly Dipper and Stan bonding but Ford comes in the end too! Enjoy!

Burning, freezing, drowning. All of the above seemed to plauge Dipper's mind at the same time. He couldn't escape. There was no escape! Sweat drenched Dipper's clothes as he tried to break free from his physical turmoil. Sleep provided no form of escapism and constant coughs wracked his body. 

He knew it was a dumb idea to hide his predicament from Stan and Ford. Even if his grunkles thought he were feeble, at least someone else would've known the situation. Now he was alone and his illness could be killing him from the inside out. 

The child tried to let the peaceful darkness of sleep overcome him. Yet, his comfortable pillow had become sticky as the liquid from his fever pooled onto the fabric. He was never going to sleep like this! He needed his grunkles! 

After a good ten minutes, Dipper deliriously decided to get Grunkle Stan. Stan's room was closer to his own; he'd arrive there before his legs decided to give out. Gravity weighed Dipper down as he tried to stand on his feet, but gravity has never stopped him before! With a small leap of determination, Dipper balanced on his feet. The boy was required to lean onto the wall for support, otherwise he'd crash. 

As Dipper stumbled out of his room and down the hallway, he contemplated turning back. Stan always looked at him as weak. He needed to be "toughened up." Wouldn't Dipper's whining about a small cold just prove his point? 

That's when Dipper considered his other option: Grunkle Ford. It took his distorted mind about two minutes to come to a conclusion: absolutely not! If Stan thought he was pitiful, surely Ford would. The six-fingered man had survived the unthinkable. Dipper being a little under the weather would surely be met with deaf ears. 

At this point, turning back wasn't an option. He refused to have come all this way just to turn back. It was final: Dipper had to get Grunkle Stan. 

Dipper knocked on Stan's bedroom door and creaked it open, "Gru-Grunkle Stan?" He coughed out. The boy tiptoed to Stan's bed and nudged him awake, "Grunkle Stan?" 

"Hm. . .?" Stan rubbed his eyes. He turned on a lamp to better see the figure who interrupted his sleep. The light forced Dipper's eyes shut as Stan took in the child. 

"Dipper? It's two in the morning. What are you doing up?" Stan questioned, not noticing the way Dipper swayed on his feet or how his eyes were glossed over with a feverish haze. 

" 'm not feelin' well-" Dipper slurred. He was clutching onto Stan's bed for support. These words caused Stan to bolt up and press his hand to Dipper's forehead. He winced at the hear radiating off his great nephew. 

"You're incredibly warm! Come with me so I can take your temperature." Stan guided Dipper to the bathroom, Dipper's hand in his own. Stan sat him on the sink and fumbled through the cabniet to find what he was looking for. Eventually he found a thermometer, and placed it in Dipper's mouth. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the object bepped. Dipper, who was half asleep, flinched, startled by the noise. Stan gave the child a sympathetic smile as he looked at the number on the screen. Dipper noticed how Stan shook slightly as he read the number. He felt Stan's hand on his forehead, which then combed through his hair. 

"That's a pretty high fever kid! Let's get you back to bed," Stan commented, not going into any more details of what his temperature was. With one swift motion, the man lifted Dipper into his arms. Dipper rested his head on Stan's shoulder as he was carried back into his room. 

Dipper was laid in bed and Stan placed a blanket or two over him. Stan felt his forehead one more time, then left the room. 

As Stan was leaving, Dipper desperately wanted to call out to him. He didn't want to be left alone again! He wanted Stan to stay! Yet thoughts of being too weak haunted Dipper's thoughts. He already woke Stan up in the middle of the night and had to be carried back to bed. How pathetic was that? 

Dipper's mind wandered back to Ford. If it was Ford who had put him back to bed as opposed to Stan, would he have asked if Ford could stay? Maybe. Grunkle Ford never made him feel weak, but that was probably because he tried to hide any weaknesses around him. If Ford saw him clinging onto him like his life depended on it, he'd probably be deemed too weak to investigate Gravity Falls ever again.

Soon, sweat wasn't the only liquid on his pillow. Tears fell silently as he wished he could have some company. He wished he wasn't so frail. He wished he wasn't so ill. 

The sound of sobbing muted the sounds of footsteps. The sickly child didn't register the sound of a door squeaking open until, "Dipper?"

Dipper glanced up through tear-filled eyes to see both of his grunkles at the door. "Grunkle Stan? Grunkle Ford?" He asked. He used his sleeve to wip tears out of his eyes. Through he blurred vision, he noticed Ford carrying medicine and a water bottle, and Stan carrying a washcloth - most likely for his fever. 

"Stanley told me you were running a fever. What's wrong, my boy? Are you in pain?" Ford asked as be sat down on the edge of Dipper's bed. He brushed his fingers through Dipper's hair. While Stan placed the washcloth on his forehead, the sick child started to speak. 

"Everything hurts. . .and I don't want to be alone!" He sobbed out. "I was - was gonna ask Grunkle Stan if he could stay! But, I didn't wanna be - be seen as weak! I am weak though. . .I had to ask Grunkle Stan for help, and he had to carry me back to bed, and now I can't go five minutes alone without breaking into tears." Dipper paused to wipe tears out of his eyes and catch his breath, "It's stupid, I know. I'm sorry." 

Stan squeezed onto Dipper's hand, "It's not stupid, Dip!" Stan exclaimed, "-and you're not weak! I - I'm sorry for all the teasing when we first met. You're strong Dipper! You've proven that countless times!" 

Dipper gave Stan a sad smile before continuing, "That doesn't change the fact I had to ask you for help. I should've just dealt with this on my own; it's just a small cold!" 

"Dipper?" Ford spoke up, "Your fever was at 39.8 degrees when Stanley checked. I'm surprised you were able to walk with that temperature! But nonetheless you persisted," he comforted. "Besides, one of the strongest things you can do is ask for help!" 

Stan started to talk again, "Even I have to ask for help sometimes! The reason poindexter's here is because he knows medical stuff better than I do. I needed his help," Stan explained, answering one of Dipper's unspoken questions. Another concern popped up in Dipper's head. 

"Is it really that bad?" This whole time Dipper thought his sickness was just some small cold that would go away on it's own. But if Grunkle Stan had to get Grunkle Ford for help, that conclusion was unlikely. Grunkle Stan would've known how to deal with a cold. "Am I. . .going to die?" 

"Goodness no!" Ford exclaimed softly. "You just need to take this medicine and get some rest. You'll be okay!" Ford poured the liquid medicine in a small cup while he was talking. He then handed the cup to Dipper, who swallowed the liquid in one gulp despite it's awful taste. 

Stan handed Dipper the water bottle to wash the flavor out. He took a few sips before placing the water bottle next to his bed. "Need anything else kid?" 

"Can you stay with me?" Dipper looked away and fidgeted with the blankets. After a short pause, he added, "Just until I fall aslesp? You don't have to-" he trailed off.

Stan rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Here, scoot over!" Dipper gave a relieved smile and lifted up the blankets so Stan could get in bed next to him. The sick child placed his head on Stan's chest and Stan weapped an arm around him. 

Ford took this as his cue to leave. But as he started to walk away, Dipper called out to him. "Grunkle Ford? Can you stay too? I mean. . .if you want to. . ." He mumbled out. 

"Sorry Dipper, I don't know if. . ." He trailed off. Ford was going to say no, but he couldn't just leave. The combination of his generally adventurous great nephew down for the count plus Stanley's death glare held him frozen in place. Ford gave a half smile, "Of course I'll stay, my boy." 

Dipper smiled and closed his eyes. Grunkle Ford brushed his fingers through his hair while the sound of Grunkle Stan's breathing lulled him to sleep. Dipper felt content in his grunkles' presence. After a hectic night, Dipper finally fell asleep, comforted by the knowledge he no longer had to put on a facade.


End file.
